Cutting device



Jan. 3, 1961 HARMN 2,966,742

CUTTING DEVICE Filed March 11, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 m PQINI/ENTOR. g;

Jan. 3, 1961 Filed March 11, 1959 K. HARIAN CUTTING DEVICE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN V EN TOR. W

CUTTING DEVICE Kent Harian, Paramus, N.J., assignor to La France Carpets, Inc., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Mar. 11, 1959, Ser. No. 798,751

Claims. (Cl. 30-314) This invention relates to cutting devices, and more particularly to a type especially adapted for the cutting of relatively thick sheet materials, such as carpeting, linoleum, sponge rubber or similar goods. It is one of the objects of the invention is to provide a simple, manually-operated device of this character which can be used for cutting the carpeting or the like from one or the other of its faces as required.

It is an object of the invention to provide a device of this nature which can employ razor blades as its cutting instrumentalities, and in which the blades may be readily replaced when dulled. It is a further object of the invention to provide a cutting device which can be manipulated with one hand; which can control the depth of the cut, and which can be used to cut out carpet or linoleum inserts when required for inlay purposes.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I have devised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of the invention is disclosed,

Fig. l is a perspective view of a cutting device constructed in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of the same, with parts broken away to disclose construction;

Fig. 3 is a face view of a part of the housing;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view, taken substantially on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows, and

Fig. 5 is a rear view of the cutting device, as viewed from the line 5--5 in Fig. 2.

The device includes a housing, generally indicated at 1, the same consisting of a sectional part 2, open at one side and at the bottom, and having its side normally closed by the closure plate 3. Each of the casing sections 2 and 3 is provided with a forwardly-extending lug in which a roller 5 is rotatively mounted.

Extending transversely of the housing 1 is the blade holder in which one or more cutting blades 6 are mounted. An internally-threaded boss is formed on the housing section 2, said boss being indicated at 7, and it receives an externally-threaded bushing 8 which is adjustable through it. A lock nut 9 is threaded on the bushing 8 and maintains the adjusted position of the bushing. A bolt it extends through the bushing 8, and said bolt is provided at one end with an enlarged head 12 andis threaded at its opposite end as indicated at 11. Said threaded end 11 is threadably received in the internal threads 13 in the shank 14 of a stem 15 provided with a square or at least non-round end 16.

Surrounding the shank of the bolt ltl within the housing, is a sleeve 17, provided with disks 19 at its opposite ends. One of said disks co-operates with the enlarged head 12 of the bolt in clampingly holding one of the blades 6, while the second disk 19 co-operates with a disk 20 contacted by the end of the adjustable bushing it, in holding the second cutting blade 6. Both the disk "ice 20 and the sleeve 17 are held against rotative movement relatively to the housing by means of a pin 21 projecting from the housing. The bolt 10 and the sleeve 17 are held together by means of a pin 22 extending from the enlarged head 12 of the bolt.

The blade-holding construction above described is readily adjusted, and the blades 6 fitted in place or removed by manipulation of the stem 15. When the stem is unthreaded, the spacing between the disk 20 and one of the disks 19 on sleeve 17 will be increased so that the blade 6 between these parts can be removed and another substituted. Similarly, the spacing between the head 12 and the disk 19 on the opposite end of the sleeve 17 will also be increased to permit of the removal of the blade between these parts and a new one substituted.

The cutting blades 6 employed in this device may be a known type of razor blade or they may be of special construction. In fitting them between the parts which clampingly hold them in cutting positions, they are set 'angularly in place substantially as shown in Fig. 2, so

that when the device is moved along the surface of the carpeting 25, as shown in Fig. 1, the carpeting will be cut or split as indicated at 26. One, two or more blades may be employed in the device according to the form of cutting desired.

Hingedly mounted on a pivot pin 27, between the parts 2 and 3 of the housing is a guard member generally indicated at 28. Said guard member is provided with side plates 29 which extend beyond the rear end of the body of said member to rotatively support a roller 30. A wishbone spring 31, mounted within the housing, has one leg operative against the guard 28 and its other leg secured to the housing. The spring tends to normally depress the guard to the position substantially shown in Fig. 2, wherein the guard projects below the lower ends of the blades 6 and thus protects the same. When the cutting device is used, the manual pressure exerted on it is sufficient to cause the guard to be moved upwardly against the pressure of the spring 31, and permit the blades to project below the guard and to perform the cutting operation. The guard is provided with a central yoke 31a to enable it to clear the blade-holding means. Runners 32 are provided on the bottom of the guard to enable it to freely slide over the surface of the carpeting or other sheet material to be cut.

The means for controlling the depth of the cut, ,consists of a set screw 33, threadably adjustable through a part of the housing and operative against a stop 34 carried by the top of the guard. As shown in Fig. 5, the rear wall of the housing is calibrated, as shown at 35, and the height of the stop 34 thus gauged to determine the height to which the guard can be elevated to thus expose more or less of the cutting blades below it when pressure is imposed on the device.

Provided on the top of the part 2 of the housing, is a saddle 36 on which the palm of the hand is rested, and for co-operation therewith is a thumb rest 37 formed on the closure plate 3 of the housing.

From the foregoing, the operation of the improved cutting device will be apparent. The device is rested against the surface of the material 25 to be cut, and with the hand placed on the saddle 36 and the thumb rested against the thumb rest 37, suflicient pressure is imposed on the device to cause the guard to be forced upwardly on its pivot 27 to the extent permitted by the end of the set screw 33. When the adjustment of the set screw is secured, it may be maintained in position by a locking screw 38. The manual pressure thus imposed on the device will cause the blades to penetrate the material 25, and as the cutter is moved across the material it will slit it. The rollers 5 and 30, and the smooth surfaces of the runners 32, contacting with the face of the material, enable the device to be rapidly slid across the material and the cutting thus quickly and expertly performed.

The construction 0t the device is such that not only single cuts made byo'ne blade, but parallel cuts cantalso be made by employing severalzblade's. Thus the" device may be used for cutting out pieces of the material for inlay purposes or for many other uses. While I have suggested that the device is to be used primarily for cutting carpeting, it. will be apparent that" its use need not be so" limited as it may be employed for cutting many other materials. It has been successfully tested for example, for the cutting of rubber-backed carpeting, linoleum and numerous other materials with entirely satisfactory results.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it is obvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto but is broad enough to cover all structures con1- ing within the scope of the annexed claims.

What I claim is:

1. A cutting device comprising, a housing having an open bottom, a bolt extending across the interior of the housing and carried by the housing, means adjustable on the bolt for clampingly holding cutting blades between them, with the ends of the blades disposed below the bottom of the housing, a guard pivoted in the housing and normally projecting below the lower ends of the blades, stop means in the housing for limiting the upward swing of the guard, rollers on the housing and on the guard for supporting the device on the surface of a material to be cut, one of the rollers being located at the forward end of the housing and a second roller being located at the rear end of the guard, runners on the bottom of the guard between the rollers, and a hand rest provided at the top of the housing.

2. A cutting device comprising, a housing open at the bottom, a bolt in the housing, a sleeve on the bolt, :1 disk on the bolt, means on the housing for coupling the disk and sleeve together and preventing rotative movement of the same, a cutting blade clamped between the disk and sleeve, the bolt having an enlarged head, a second cutting blade clamped between the head and the sleeve, said blades being angularly positioned and having their lower ends projecting below the open bottom of the housing, adjusting means provided on the bolt for urging the disk thereon toward one end of the sleeve and for urging the head of the bolt toward the opposite end of the sleeve, a guard member pivotally mounted in the housing between the walls thereof and normally having its lower end projecting below the lower ends of the blades, said guard being provided with a roller at one end, and the housing being provided with a roller at an end remote from the roller on the guard.

3. A cutting device as provided for in claim 2, including spring means contained in the housing for urging the guard to a lowered position, adjustable stop means in the housing above the guard for limiting the upward swing of the guard, and a hand rest on the top of the housing.

4. A cutting device comprising, a housing having an open bottom, a bolt in the housing, a sleeve on the bolt, means for retaining the bolt and the sleeve thereon against relative rotative movement, a disk on the bolt, means on the housing for coupling the disk, sleeve and housing together in a manner to prevent rotative movement of the disk relatively to the sleeve, a blade mounted between the disk and one end of the sleeve, a blade mounted between the opposite end of the sleeve and a fixed portion of the bolt, a boss formed on the housing, a bushing threadable in said boss, an adjusting stem in the bushing and in threadable engagement with the bolt, and a guard pivoted between walls of the housing and having its lower end normally extended below the lower end of the blades.

5. A cutting device as provided for in claim 4, including spring means in the housing and at one end of the guard for urging the guard downwardly, adjustable stop means in the housing above the guard for limiting upward swing of the guard, and rollers on the housing and guard respectively for supporting the device on the surface of material to be cut.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 704,867 Dews July 15, 1902 1,232,398 Sheldon July 3, 1917 2,730,800 Bailey Jan. 17, 1956 FOREIGN PATENTS 161,629 Australia Mar. 2, 1955 702,745 Germany Feb. 14, 1941 

